What are your eczema triggers?

There’s no doubt about it. Eczema is a miserable condition to suffer from – uncomfortable, unsightly and because it often flares up when you’re feeling stressed and under pressure, it’s always unwelcome.

However with careful management, you can reduce eczema symptoms. It’s all about knowing what might trigger your eczema. Keeping an eczema diary might help – writing down what you eat, what’s going on in your life, where you are and even what the weather is like. Here’s a list of common eczema triggers to be thinking about …

Buying new clothes. We all love new clothes and new additions to our wardrobe. But be mindful of fabrics – some synthetics, wool and rough fabrics can irritate the skin. When you buy something new, wash it before you wear it to get rid of any dye that could leak onto your skin and to remove the ‘finish’ some manufacturers put on a fabric to help it hang better in the shop.

Washing your clothes. Be careful about the detergent you use to wash your clothes. Choose non-biological powders and liquids and always wear gloves if you’re handwashing (or washing up). Make sure clothes are really well rinsed too to get rid of the soap.

Don’t get too hot. Hot, humid weather doesn’t help eczema. Seek out the shade and air-conditioned areas if possible and sleep with a fan at night to keep your skin cool.

Hay fever. When the weather gets warmer, that’s when the pollen count goes up which can also cause eczema to be a problem. You might need to take an antihistamine. It’s a good idea to have a shower and wash your hair after you come indoors to get rid of any pollen sticking to your hair and skin.

Watch what you eat. Dairy, soya, fish, nuts, wheat have all been identified as eczema triggers. If you’re concerned, ask your doctor to do a patch test which will show which foods you are allergic to.

Your make-up. Make-up is supposed to make you look your best – but be careful of what your make-up contains. Products like perfume, lanolin, preservatives and alcohol don’t usually sit well with eczema sufferers so check packaging and look for words like ‘fragrance free’ and ‘hypoallergenic’. Always do a patch test when trying something new.

It’s always useful to talk to other eczema sufferers to discover what they’ve identified as eczema triggers, what they avoid and what they find help.

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